Embrace The Past
by xXxXBrokenxWingsXxXx
Summary: Slight AU. How could I have broken a deal I had no recollection of making? Easy. I hadn't made it yet. Ryou's POV. One-Shot. Purposely confusing.


_Embrace The Past _  
_A_ _Yu-Gi-Oh! One-Shot_

* * *

Something akin to fear burrows beneath my skin. I am on top of soft, grainy dirt, which emits heat at a deadly rate. My skin feels scorched, but I cannot move, for my legs are about as capable of supporting weight as Jell-O.

Swollen and dry, my tongue prevents me from crying out. I want to scream a "help" or similar words and phrases. I want to and cannot all at the same time.

Briefly, I wonder where I am. I remember my soul room. The spirit was there, angry and irritated as usual. I could tell because my soul room was icy. Literally.

"What?" I asked.

He glared at me. "You broke our deal."

"Deal?" I repeated. He must have meant the one where he offered total control of my body if I agreed to build the setting for his final RPG. "No, I didn't. I never agreed to it."

His eyes narrowed further as he read my thoughts through our mind-link. "Not that one."

Like a well-rehearsed play, dark and enraged spirits swarmed me the second he spoke the last word. I shouted and wailed, and, for some reason, I sensed equal confusion from the spirit.

When the spirits finally dispersed, I was alone in the desert. I felt as if someone had sucked away my energy, yet I pressed forward. Chances were that if I stayed put, I'd die. My survival rate increased if I moved on, though I was and am still so very puzzled.

So, as I lie here with death standing over me, I tell myself, _You are an idiot. Stay or move on, you were dead from the start._

-_**BREAK**_-

"Ugh," I groan. "Oh… Where… Where am I?"

Weakly, I lift my head and glance around. Although I am surrounded by debris and dust, I can tell I must be in a home of sorts. Broken down and in ruins, but it is still a home.

"How did I get here?" I ask, coughing dryly.

I did not expect an answer.

"I brought you."

Whirling around, which results in a harsh fit of dizziness, I come face-to-face with a man. His hair, partially hidden beneath some sort of headgear, appears stardust-colored at the bangs. He has dark skin, like Malik and his family's, and there is a dreadful scar from the bottom of his eyebrow to even with his lips.

What I notice most, though, is his eyes. They are a soulful shade of blue and full of dark, haunting images of death. They stab my eyes, digging mercilessly into my deepest depths.

His voice, when he continues, is fairly empty with a tint of resentment.

Slowly, he speaks. "What are you doing here, pale one?"

My tongue is still swollen, so I hack before replying, "I'm lost."

He rolls his eyes. "Of course you are lost, fool. No one ever comes to Kul Elna. No one except me, that is."

Gnawing at me is the thought that I know this man from somewhere, but I shove it away.

"Kul Elna?" I repeat to taste the name. "Is this… your home?"

I notice the rapid shift in body language. His arms, legs, and stomach—all of which are composed of total muscle—solidify tensely, and his eyebrows dive into the bridge of his nose.

"It was. Not that it concerns you."

I shiver at the danger in his voice and back away from the subject quickly.

"R-Right… Uh, thank you for, um, saving me."

His scowl twists up darkly. "I 'saved' you? How do you know I do not intend to sell you off as a slave?"

Cautiously, I shrug, "I don't. You seem like you would not do that, though. I mean… You cannot be too bad. You **did** save my life."

Losing his creepy grin, the man snorts and moves closer. "I did not go out of my way, believe me. You were on the outskirts of Kul Elna."

"The outskirts?" I blink. "But I can't recall seeing it…"

His smirk returns, darker than prior. "Because the ghosts of Kul Elna did not want you to. They do not want you here. You should be grateful I went against their wishes to bring you here."

I jump as he plops down beside me. Even when he is sitting, he is huge compared to my slender frame. A knowing grin crawls onto his lips.

"I'm Touzoku-Ou Bakura Akefia."

"Toe-zoo-coo-ou? Ba-Bakura…?"

His head tilts to the side. "You pronounce things funny. Are you from a different country?"

"Oh, uh… sort of. So-sorry. Tou…Touzoku-Ou…?"

"Better," nods the man sharing one part of my name. "What is your name?"

"Ryou," I answer uneasily. "Ryou… Baku…wa."

"Bakuwa? Heh, sounds a little like my name."

Warily, I watch his expression, but he seems unsuspicious about my last name. He does not appear to think it a lie or a weird coincidence. His eyes and mouth have softened by now. While he is definitely not Yugi-kun, he seems more innocent and friendly at least.

"So is Touzoku-Ou your first name?"

He pauses in his search of his red cloak's pockets. "Hm? Are you not perfectly fluent in Arabic?"

"Er, no?"

Chuckling, he continues, "Touzoku-Ou, thief king, is my title. Bakura is my name. Akefia is my family name, but I do not use it much."

Where do I know him from?

"I see."

A thought occurs to me. With the exception of the basics, I do not speak any Arabic at all. Why can I communicate with him no differently than if I were speaking Japanese or English?

The next time he speaks, I listen more carefully.

"You can call me Touzoku-Ou. Only my enemies call me Bakura, so… Since you are obviously not a threat, you can address me by my preferred name."

"Alright," I smile. Although I know he must be speaking Arabic, he could be speaking German for all I know. I hear his words plain as day, and though I respond in Japanese, he comprehends me just as clearly.

Shaking my head, I determine it is time to find out what has happened to me. "Touzoku-Ou, is there a chance you could help me find my way home?"

He glances at me. "I am busy."

"Oh…" I frown. "A-Alright."

His eyes stay on me. "But, Ryou, I guess I could let you come with me for a while. Only until you find a nice little village to settle down in."

Caught off-guard, I stutter, "I-I appreciate that, but I really need to get back to my actual home… I don't belong anywhere else, you see."

Standing up, he brushes off his cloak and kilt. "Well, if it means that much, I can see what I can do. You will have to stay out of my way and not cause trouble."

Immediately, I brighten. "You mean it? Thank you!"

"Cool it, little man. You haven't heard the price yet."

Faltering, I mumble half-heartedly, "Ri-right…"

Slamming his hand down on my head, he suddenly yanks me up with brute strength. I start to scream, a choice that earns me the thrill of being thrown into the wall. Whimpering, I slide to the ground and stare up at him in horror.

Demonically grinning, he purrs, "The price is you're going to help me with my revenge."

It hits me so hard I actually begin to tremble violently.

Pathetically sprawled at his feet, I moan, "Y-Yami no Bakura…"

"Dark Bakura? What the hell are you whining about, kid?"

His sadistic tone brings about a choked sob. I want to get on my knees and plead for him to leave me be. Deep down, however, I know it will do no good, so I choose a possibly fatal alternative.

"No."

"Pardon, Ryou?" He tauntingly questions. "'No' what?"

"No, I will not help you… Just **get away from me**!"

Sharp pain shoots through my head, and I lose consciousness upon hitting the ground.

-_**BREAK**_-

Gasping, I shoot up and instantly regret it. My head pounds cruelly. Beside me is Yami no Bakura, the spirit, who analyzes my face with morbid curiosity.

"Where did you go?" He inquires, genuinely clueless.

Breathing heavily, I brush back my hair and respond, "N-Nowhere important… Just some place…"

Vexed but seeming to not be interested enough to probe further, the spirit takes his leave of my soul room.

I am about to lay back down when I hear, "By the way, Landlord, the deal I was referring to was our first one; if you helped me with my revenge, I'd help you get back home with your family, where you belong."

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah, I lost the inspiration for the prison theme story. Sorry. It happens. So here is my apology. Yes, it is meant to be confusing.

Enjoy.


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